Susanna DeForest, 20, died last Friday while hiking in the Rocky Mountains. Her mother says she suffered acute altitude sickness. (Facebook)

(Newser)
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A 20-year-old woman with no known previous medical issues died during a hike with friends after apparently suffering acute altitude sickness. The Times Herald reports Susanna DeForest of Pennsylvania was hiking with three friends in Colorado. They left Thursday afternoon on a hike to Conundrum Hot Springs in the Rocky Mountains, where they would spend the night. The hike has 2,500 feet of elevation change, and the hot springs are at an elevation of 11,200 feet, according to the Post Independent.

During the hike, DeForest felt nauseated and started vomiting. Two of her friends hiked out to get help, reaching emergency dispatchers by 10:45pm. A helicopter was sent to retrieve DeForest but was unable to land for reasons that remain unclear. A second helicopter returned around 5am Friday, but DeForest was already dead. In a Facebook post, Kate DeForest says her daughter died from acute altitude sickness. "Her friends who were with her did all they could to get help to her in time," Kate DeForest says.

Big mistake going for help instead of getting her down. Not easy with out a litter but essential.

tom1946

Aug 24, 2017 2:06 AM CDT

I think they probaly mean 1100 feet not 11000, that would be a mountain over a mile long

kukisvoomchor

Aug 23, 2017 9:17 PM CDT

I'm in the middle of The American Eclipse by David Barron, about the total solar eclipse that crossed the US in July 1878. Astronomer and US Weather Bureau chief meteorologist Cleveland Abbe journeyed with pack animals to the top of Pike's Peak (14,000 feet) to observe it with some old colleagues from a tiny stone weather station there. The others acclimated but within a few days Abbe fell seriously ill and had to be brought down on a stretcher. The cause of altitude sickness wasn't fully understood at the time (similarly unexplained were the bends workmen suffered while digging the footings for the Brooklyn Bridge) but a doctor on hand still knew he would likely die if he stayed up there and ordered him removed. 4000 feet below the summit Abbe completed his work the day of the eclipse, using a special setup hastily built for him so he could stay reclined.